TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Sen. Pat Roberts says U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder should resign over allegations that he knew of the gathering of journalists’ telephone records and emails.

The Kansas Republican told The Associated Press by telephone Thursday the resignation would be in the best interests of Holder and President Barack Obama.

The Justice Department has been intensely criticized over its secret gathering of the phone records of AP reporters and the emails of a Fox News journalist. Holder has testified that he had no knowledge that the records were sought after journalists reported on government activities.

Roberts says Holder’s resignation would be appropriate but would not make questions of First Amendment violations go away.